SUNY Adirondack students honored with Chancellor's Award

QUEENSBURY, New York (April 29, 2025) — SUNY Adirondack is proud to congratulate this year’s Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence winners, Tyrese Brown and Data Murdie.

The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence is the highest award SUNY bestows upon students.

"Tyrese and Data are tremendous examples of student excellence both inside and outside the classroom,” said Kristine D. Duffy, Ed.D., president of SUNY Adirondack. “They each made a lasting impact on our college and we are excited to watch them make a difference in whatever they choose to do in the future."

Tyrese Brown, a second-year Liberal Arts and Sciences: Math and Science major, was bestowed with the 2025 Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence. Brown, who plans to become an orthopedic surgeon, is a lab technician for biology and microbiology. He is also a tutor for college biology and Phi Theta Kappa, and for Upward Bound students in biology, math and chemistry. 

Brown conducted an independent study that was presented at the SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference (SURC) at Binghamton University. Brown also serves as a student trustee on the college’s Board of Trustees, as a member of Adirondack Housing Association Committee, as a voting member of the Faculty Student Association board, on the Student Association board and as a voting member of Student Senate, where he served as vice president of business and finance. 

Brown is a Compass peer coach and a member of Phi Theta Kappa. He spent more than 200 hours at Glens Falls Hospital in a job shadow program, in which he also gained medical experience volunteering. He was the first-ever SUNY Adirondack student to be named a 2025 Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar.

Data Murdie is a December 2024 graduate of SUNY Adirondack with a degree in Broadcast Media Production. They were named the 2024 Broadcast Student of the Year and were a member of the 2024 Phi Theta Kappa All New York Academic Team. 

Murdie hosted a weekly radio show on SUNY Adirondack’s WGFR 92.7, was active in Theater Club and made Dean’s List three of their four semesters. They were a TRIO SSS student and were selected as the 2024 Commencement speaker. 

Murdie is enrolled at SUNY Plattsburgh at Queensbury, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and is a community resource specialist at SUNY Adirondack.